Perhaps no sentient being in the galaxy is more reviled than Jar Jar Binks. Just this year, news that director J.J. Abrams thought about including a brief desert shot of Binks' bones in the upcoming "The Force Awakens" received rapturous excitement. You may not consider yourself a particularly bloodthirsty person, but if Gungans bleed, you know Binks' would quench something deep and personal.
So, it was surprising to those who came across a new "Star Wars" fan theory over the weekend, in which Reddit user Lumpawarroo claimed Binks was a skilled user of the Force, an accomplished warrior, a master of deception and a Sith collaborator. All the hate viewers felt toward Binks, according to this Reddit user, was just Binks' use of smoke and mirrors.
"It's entirely possible that Palpatine was a subordinate underling to Binks throughout both trilogies," Lumpawarroo posits, before continuing, "given [that], I will conclude with an argument as to why I believe it is not only possible, but plausible that Jar Jar will make a profound impact on the upcoming movies."
Lumpawarroo bases much of the theory on Binks' clear prowess for pulling off ambitious physical and tactical feats, which fans only discount due to his bumbling personality that makes his accomplishments all seem like luck. Obi Wan warned that "there's no such thing as luck," so it's possible Binks has simply created a facade of idiocy to gain the Jedis' trust and cause his enemies to underestimate him.
"This discipline seeks to imitate the 'sloshing,' seemingly random foibles of a drunkard, but in reality the staggering and stumbling is the use of bodily momentum, deception, and unpredictability intended to lure and confuse opponents," Lumpawarroo claims.
Just look at how he pulls off this twisting somersault!
The fan theory is lengthy and provides numerous nuanced reasonings for Binks' secret ability to manipulate the Force and win in battle. But the more surprising accusation is that Binks was a part of the Dark Side all along.
According to Lumpawarroo, Binks' bizarre political accomplishments in "Star Wars" can be attributed to his subtle, but masterful use of mind manipulation. Whenever you see him somehow persuade others to listen to him -- to the seeming disbelief of the movie viewer -- Binks animatedly gestures his arms and hands much like those who are known to use mind control.
It's plausible that with his relentless acts of stupidity, the Jedis never considered Binks a threat. So, with their defenses lowered, Binks was able to manipulate the Senate and the heroes of the trilogy.
With this in mind, this theory highlights Binks' actions in "Episode II," where he gives a speech to the Senate in favor of handing emergency powers over to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. "His actions in 'Episode II' that facilitate Palpatine's plans are not those of an unwitting tool -- they are those of a partner," writes Lumpawarroo, explaining further that, since the two are from the same planet, it's not a stretch to imagine they met in the past. Binks then continues to work closely with Palpatine years after, into "Episode III," which wouldn't make sense unless he were a competent agent.
Perhaps the most convincing argument Lumpawarroo makes is that George Lucas has said the prequel trilogy was intended to mirror the original "Star Wars" movies, meaning there should have been a Yoda-esque character. Lumpawarroo convincingly argues that Binks was intended to be this character in the planned story arc, but fan vitriol after his introduction caused Lucas to bury the reveal that this seemingly harmless character was just masking his true mastery of war.
Now it's possible "The Force Awakens" writers will resurrect the idea. Perhaps the bones that Abrams joked about including will be within a great temple pyramid, rather than laid unceremoniously in the sand.
We all may just be dust in the wind after death regardless, but the bloodthirsty may start to boil inside when they see a massive shrine to Binks in Abrams' movie. Nothing, you could say, would be more jarring.
H/T Uproxx
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